FIC: I Know Enough to Know, Pt 3/? (challenge response)

[BHV <bighotvirgo@xxxxxxxxx>]

[Previously, in part 2:

Willow closed her eyes, struggling against her tears, her hands
clenched tight on her knees. Youre going to go on, Buffy. Youre
going to go on living, and in time ... 

Willow opened one palm, and Buffy saw she was still holding the stupid
twig.

Buffy, in time, youll ... 

A small bright light sparked and crackled in Willow's palm,
illuminating their faces.

forget.                ]

-------
I Know Enough to Know, Pt 3/?

Buffy's hand closed over Willow's, smothering the light from the spell
and casting the little grove back into moonlit shadow. 

"Since when do you think I'm that stupid, Will?" she asked quietly,
tightening her grip on the witch's hand.  Willow tried unsuccessfully
to push the slayer's hand away, but Buffy held on tighter, grabbing her
other arm as she struggled.

"Whatever kind of counter-spell Tara cooked up to protect you, I'm
still stronger, Buffy.  Willow spoke softly but her words were edged
in ice.  "I'm stronger than both of you.  I'm more powerful than all of
you put together."

Buffy stood, yanking the witch up with her, pulling her close till they
were nose to nose.  The light under the rustling branches wasnt bright
enough to see, but she knew the eyes she gazed into were black, not the
deep green she so loved.  Then go ahead and show me, she all but
whispered.  Knock yourself out. 

Instantly, her best friends body shuddered, and a wavering orange glow
enveloped the witch.  Buffy felt a prickling and humming focused on
where her hands clenched Willows wrists.  The amulet Buffy wore under
her shirt began to feel warm, but she held on, hoping it would work as
Tara and Giles had promised.  

As they stood locked together in the dappled moonlight, she saw
Willows eyes widen in disbelieving anger, then felt the humming
sensation intensify, charging the air all around them with a crackling,
sparkling energy.  The flame-colored hue of the magical aura glimmering
around Willow deepened to red, then flickered purple and blue.  The
amulet on Buffys chest began to burn against her skin and she winced,
forcing herself to breathe through the searing pain.  She smelled the
fabric of her shirt begin to scorch and saw Willow smile, then
suddenly, just as the amulet sparked into flame, the witch went limp
and Buffy let her slide to the ground, unconscious.  

Buffy yelped as she tore the amulet off, feeling burned flesh come off
with it.  She knelt down and made sure Willows pulse and breathing
were steady.  A quick search of the duffel bag confirmed her suspicion
that Willow had been planning to leave.  Buffy also found a large
baggie full of the herb Willow had used in the forgetting spell.  After
disabling Buffys memory, she must have been planning to mind-wipe the
rest of the Scoobs, then skip town. 

My god, Will, what were you thinking? Buffy whispered.  Whats
happened to you?

Exhausted, Buffy settled against her gravestone.  Pulling Willow up
close to her, cradling the witch in her lap, Buffy leaned back to wait
for Xander.  Shed left him in the car at the edge of the woods and the
plan called for him to give her a half-hour, then come to the gravesite
and help carry Willow back if necessary.  

They had all assumed, correctly, that Willow would resort to magic
rather than come back with Buffy willingly.  Giles, Tara and Anya had
been at the Magic Box working the counter spell, charging the amulet to
reflect Willows power back against her so that she would, just as
Buffy had said, knock herself out.  And hopefully, thought Buffy,
thats all the counter spell did.  After shed returned to the house
earlier, and the others told her about their plan, shed been dubious 
there just hadnt been enough time to thoroughly research the counter
spell and its possible effects on Willow.  Plus, none of them knew the
real magnitude of her magical strength.

Buffy leaned back, catching her breath and trying to collect her
thoughts.  Shed only acted as a passive anchor to channel the magic
from the counter spell, but coupled with the emotional intensity of the
days previous events, the experience had left her completely drained. 


They had thrown together the plan to bring Willow down and get her back
home, but beyond that, no one was quite sure how to get her to stay. 
Willow would eventually come to, and yes, they could sedate her if they
had to, but in the long run, they couldnt keep her knocked out
indefinitely.  If she was really intent on using her magic to get away
from them, Buffy doubted they could stop her.   She also doubted Willow
would cooperate with any attempts to find out more about what exactly
she had done to trade her soul for Buffys life.  

Willow stirred, a whimpering sort of mutter escaping her lips, and in
the shaft of moonlight that sliced through the grove, Buffy studied her
face.  What are we going to do with you, Will? she asked.  Still
unconscious, the slight witch in her lap looked like a fevered child
having a bad dream, and the Slayer tenderly swept damp red hair away
from her friends clammy forehead.  My Willow.  My beautiful, sweet,
fucked-up Willow.

With her Slayer hearing, Buffy picked up the sounds of Xander, still a
few minutes away, making his way through the woods toward them. 
Looking back down, softly tracing the curve of Willows cheek with her
fingertips, Buffy made a whispered vow.

Im getting your soul back, Willow, even if I have to crawl into hell
on my hands and knees to do it. 


TBC?




=====
"That's the kind of wooly-headed liberal thinking that leads to being eaten."                                                          Principal Snyder

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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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